Tech

Libratone Zipp

Small But Powerful

Using a “FullRoom technology” that disperses sound in 360-degrees surrounding the speaker, you get the same experience listening to tunes on one side as you do on the other, and are literally surrounded with sound. There’s no “sweet spot” with the Zipp like you find with other speakers on the market.

PlayDirect

PlayDirect works in conjunction with AirPlay technology and creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between the speaker and any compatible device. Transmitting the audio this way also allows it to maintain a CD-quality sound, so you’re getting better quality audio than you might be able to achieve with a Bluetooth speaker.

Volume up Top

Volume controls for the Zipp are located on the top of the device

Inputs

The Zipp has inputs for AirPlay, PlayDirect, USB audio and iPhone charging, and a 3.5-mm audio minijack for analog sound.

4-8 Hours of Battery Life

The Zipp can run for four hours playing tunes over Wi-Fi with its built-in battery, and 8 hours if you’re using a line in to get your tunes to the speaker. It can also be plugged into a power outlet for times when you need to rock out a little longer.

Leather Handle

The Zipp has a leather handle that can be rotated up for carrying and exposing inputs for the speaker.

Removable Wool Covers

The covers on the Zipp zip off, and can be replaced with a different color.

Available in October

The Libratone Zipp will be available at the end of October. A version of the speaker with either a red or grey zip cover will be sold exclusively in Apple Stores for $399. Another version containing three covers will be available for $449 online and at a number of retailers, with additional sleeves running $50 each.

At first glance, the Libratore Zipp doesn’t look like it’s going to be all that powerful — but turn it on and prepare to be amazed.

“It looks small, but it sounds big,” Libratone's Soren Pedersen said as he pulled out the company’s latest creation on Mashable’s San Francisco roof deck last week.

Big doesn’t even begin to describe the sound this pint-sized speaker is able to produce.

Using a “FullRoom technology” that disperses sound in 360-degrees surrounding the speaker, you get the same experience listening to tunes on one side as you do on the other, and are literally surrounded with sound. There’s no “sweet spot” with the Zipp like you find with other speakers on the market.

Traditionally makers of high-end audio equipment, Libratone saw a need to make a “cool wireless speaker” that incorporated some of the technology found in expensive audio equipment into a device that was affordable for average consumers.

“We wanted to design a speaker that makes high-end sound portable and truly wireless,” says Tommy Andersen, CEO of Libratone. “Similar to a pair of headphones, Libratone Zipp follows you wherever you go – around the house, to work, in the park or on holiday.”

The Zipp is able to do that through a rechargeable lithium battery for power and PlayDirect technology, which allows you to connect your phone or tablet to the speaker via Wi-Fi, regardless of whether or not you currently have a Wi-Fi network running where you are. So, you could transmit audio over Wi-Fi between your iPhone and the speaker while you’re doing something like having a picnic in the park with your friends.

PlayDirect works in conjunction with AirPlay technology and creates a direct Wi-Fi connection between the speaker and any compatible device. Transmitting the audio this way also allows it to maintain CD-quality sound, so you’re getting better quality audio than you might be able to achieve with a Bluetooth speaker.

For our demo, we transmitted tunes from an iPad to the speaker while sitting on Mashable’s roof in the middle of San Francisco. We were able to set up the connection between an iPad and the Zipp in about a minute, then were instantly able to pump out tunes that would be bound to keep the neighbors up at night.

The Zipp can run for four hours playing tunes over Wi-Fi with its built-in battery, and for eight hours if you’re using a line-in to get your tunes to the speaker. It can also be plugged into a power outlet for times when you need to rock out a little longer.

Pedersen says that the Zipp was designed with four key thoughts in mind: extreme sound, no compromises, quality design, and ease of use.

The speaker comes with a mobile app that helps you set the speaker up specifically for where you’ve placed it in your home — so you’re not doing something like pumping out tunes directly into a wall if you’ve placed the speaker in a corner.

Meant to be something you would want to display in your home, the Zipp gets its name from the high-quality zip-on cover it has surrounding it. Covers can be removed and replaced, so you can dress your speaker up in Pepper Black for a business event, and Passion Pink for your next party.

The Libratone Zipp will be available at the end of October. A version of the speaker with either a red or grey zip cover will be sold exclusively in Apple Stores for $399. Another version containing three covers will be available $449 online and at a number or retailers, with additional sleeves running $50 each.

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